Her Royal Twenty-First
by LuvFearlessly
Summary: I was greatly disappointed by the second season of The Elephant Princess. She was suddenly grown up, no more green sparkles to illustrate her magic, and no Kuru/Alex (Kalex? Aluru?)! This is the seven-part story of how I think The Elephant Princess should have ended :)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Princess Liliuokalani Parasha Khaled Persphone Amanirenas sat upon her throne as she waited for the elders to speak. She looked at them expectantly as they filed in the room and each of them bowed to her. One of her servants had informed her nearly a week ago that the elders needed to speak to the princess about an important kingdom matter. Now she sat with her shoulders back and head held high, appearing confident and ready for whatever the elders had to say to her. They had even gone as far as asking her to skip out on a class at the music school she attended and they knew how dear that was to her, so it must've been something of great matter. This did not seem like another one of those boring meetings where they sat around speaking of laws and other dull kingdom formalities, the princess realized as she gave the elders a nod to let them know they may stand up straight from their bows.

She had asked a former servant of hers, Kuru, what he thought they wanted to talk about. It appeared that he already knew, but he would not say anything more than, "It may change your life." It frustrated her that he refused to tell her anything more, him being one of her closest friends, but she knew how he was. He would not interfere with what went on between the elders and the princess. So now she tried to look prepared, sitting in her Manjipourian garb of deep red and a golden headpiece with a single ruby in her chestnut hair. Each time she dressed up like a true Manjipourian, she could only hope that she had inherited a small fraction of her birth mother's beauty.

"Princess," one of the elders addressed her. "Soon you will have ruled Manjipour for five years. Your twenty-first birthday will soon be approaching." he began, standing in front of her and looking into her eyes seriously. "That is something to celebrate."

"Yes, I suppose it is." she gave a small shrug, knowing there must be more. The air was too tense for this to all be about some celebrations. Celebrations were light subjects that seemed too happy and carefree for the intense elders. They hardly ever spoke of celebrations at these meetings and they certainly wouldn't be going this far out of their way just to talk about such a thing.

The elder nodded in agreement, looked down as if he were nervous, an emotion Alex had never seen an elder express, and then he looked up again, "Do you know how old your mother was when she was married to the king?" he questioned.

"No." Alex shook her head. The king had not even been her father. That made it hard to take interest in him.

"She was sixteen." he said and he appeared to be hoping that she would catch on, but Alex remained clueless. It was not surprising that in a place like this a young lady of royalty should be married at sixteen. Of course, Alex hadn't even known she was the princess until her sixteenth birthday and so the same could not be expected of her when her situation was considered. Now it'd been four years and six months since then. "The king was only seventeen himself."

"And?" Alex urged him to go on, but he seemed to have trouble finding the words.

"Princess," another one of the elders spoke up and took a step forward. "You have done a very good job of taking up your royal duties and taking care of your people. The dark magic has been vanquished, the markets are thriving, the people are happy. In fact, I have never seen Manjipour in such lovely conditions." The proud elder spoke honestly, seeming to choke on the kind words since kindness and softness were foreign to her. "The people are very happy."

"Thank you." the princess said in reply. She loved to see the smiles on her people's faces, knowing that she had cared for them the best she could. She took pride in that.

"But Princess, only one thing could make them happier." she went on.

"And that is?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

The elder looked around at the others, unsure of what to saying, having hoped that Alex would catch on by now, but Alex appeared ignorant to what they were asking of her. "For the princess to be married, to have a king and an heir to the throne." the elder replied, not doing a thing to hide the seriousness of the matter.

Alex slowly nodded. One might've expected this girl, sent away from Manjipour as a baby for her own safety and raised among modern people in Australia, to fight this, to be shocked and to flat out refuse, but in truth, she had seen this one coming. She'd known it would only be a matter of time before the elders would want to see her married and give birth to the next royal. In all honesty, she was surprised it'd taken them this long to ask this of her. But Kuru had been right that this would change her life. It saddened Alex to think that when she married, her adoptive father that'd raised her would not be there to give her away, her adoptive mother would not be crying tears of joy, and her annoying little sister would not be in her wedding party. But she had her biological father, Omar. She tried to stay positive and pay more attention to the good than the bad. She also knew that once she married, little time would be spent in the real world and most would be spent in Manjipour, tending to her people and to the future of the land, a prince or princess she would give birth to. She would have to give up her part in her band, her music school. But she must not be selfish. Her people came first. Being a princess came first. "And did you have someone in mind?" the princess asked.

"No," the elder shook her head. "You are just like your mother in the way that you are headstrong, stubborn and you always must have your way. And as princess, that is your right. Princess, we know you well enough to know that you will not accept any prince that we choose for you, so we have decided to let you choose a husband for yourself." she announced. She did not seem too pleased about it, but there was not much she could do to change the truth.

"I see." Alex smiled, pleasantly surprised. She too knew that courting any of the princes the elders chose for her would be nothing but a waste of time. She had been raised in a world where the people married for love, not for money or for status or for any gain and she was determined to have that, love. She had "courted" two boys before, but neither time had it lasted. Nor had either of those boys been fit to be the king of Manjipour. Whomever she picked would have to be loved by her and by her people.

"Is there anyone you had in mind, Princess?" the first elder spoke again.

"No." the princess answered flatly, using her magic to pick up an apple from the bowl across the room. Green sparkles flew around it as she drew it toward her, over the heads of the elders and into her lap. She could not help but played with her magic when she elders began to bore her. She knew how this was going to end already.

"What about that Caleb fellow?" he suggested. "Were not the two of you courting for a while not too long ago?"

"That is over now. He would not make a good king for Manjipour." she stiffened.

"Princess," the second elder interrupted. "We would like to see you married by your twenty-first birthday. You have a limited amount of time, only six months or else we will be forced to pick a husband for you. The date has been set for six months from today and preparations will be made. You've got until your royal twenty-first. The people want a king."

Only six months? This made Alex's heart skip a beat. Where she came from, you had to know someone longer than six months before you knew if you wanted to spend the rest of your life with them. Only six months to give her heart to a man worthy of being king, only six months to give her life to Manjipour even more so than she already had, to practically say goodbye to her life in Australia. But this was for Manjipour. This was what the people wanted. Alex sat up and straight and looked the elders each in the eye, "Then a king they shall have."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Six months to decide who you're going to spend the rest of your life with?" Amanda gawked as they walked along the Gold Coast. Alex had just told her the news after putting it off for as long as she could and Amanda couldn't be more confused. "But then what will happen? No more music school? No more band? No more...me?"

"I will always find a way to keep in touch with you, Amanda, but...I'm not so sure about everything else right now. Once I am married, my life will be in Manjipour." Alex explained calmly. It was hard for her to grasp herself, but it was her duty by birth. She could not reject it and she could not put it off. She had to take care of her people and her kingdom. Above everything, that came first. She felt sad and frustrated about giving up on her life here, her music and her friends and having fun, but those things seemed childish and petty when compared to the responsibility she had to her kingdom. She was a princess. That was more important than messing around the way common people from this world did. Unlike them, she did not have all the time in the world. "I suppose you and Taylor could be a duo." she forced a smile, hoping to lighten the mood. "There are plenty of songwriters out there looking for a break. You don't really need me."

"But it will not be the same!" she threw her head back, her blond bob tangling and flying around her face with the salty sea wind. It'd been years since she'd found out her best friend was a magical princess and even that was still hard to understand, now she was to be married? She make this foreign land her life?

"Nothing will be the same, Amanda, but I guess that's just life. Things have to change." Alex shrugged. She hoped that her confidence could help to settle Amanda's nerves and her own.

"I guess you're right." she sighed and looked down, realizing that there was no fighting this. "Have you got anyone in mind for your future husband?" she asked, truly curious. They wouldn't be able to have these girly boy-crazed moments for much longer. "Will he be from here or Manjipourian?"

"I don't know." Alex rolled her eyes. "Honestly, when I try to figure it out, I almost think I should let the elders pick a husband for me, you know? I've already dated both an Aussie boy and a Manjipourian. Both of which crashed and burned. One of them never even knew I was the princess and the other…would not make a good king for Manjipour. It is not only myself I have to think about. I have to think about my people, too." she let out a sigh, trying not to dwell on the past.

"What about Kuru?" Amanda asked, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"What are you getting on about, Amanda?" Alex questioned, automatically irritated for some reason. Even she did not know why the question made her feel defensive. "He will continue to live in the palace as my advisor and friend and he will help me take care of the kingdom—all the paperwork and stuff that puts me to sleep.

"Oh, don't play dumb, Alex!" Amanda danced around her friend, stopping in front of her so that she was forced to stand still and look her friend in her blue eyes. "As if you've never thought Kuru was just a little bit cute." She held up her index finger and thumb with only an inch of space between them. "And what about when you turned yourself into a frog and your true love had to kiss you in order for you to turn back into yourself? I'm pretty sure it was Kuru who kissed you."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." Alex pushed Amanda's hand down and then walked past her, refusing to dwell on those thoughts. Even Kuru had brushed that experience off. It'd only been a servant's love for his princess. "And I don't have time to think about Kuru in any way at this point or any other boy. In addition to the whole finding-the-love-of-my-life thing, I need to wrap up everything I have here. I have to make up some kind of story to tell my parents, I have to drop my classes. Moving to a magical world is a big deal."

"Well you've got to do something. You can't just sit around. You've only got six months to find your soul mate." Amanda reminded her.

Alex looked around, trying to figure out how she was going to pull this off. "Honestly, Amanda, I don't even know where to start."

"Princess, wait!" Alex heard Kuru calling from behind her as she walked along the forest path, heading for the palace. She was back in Manjipour for a meeting with the elders. Not about her marriage, but on new laws, upcoming celebrations and things like that. Things that bored her to tears, but that she had to deal with. Anala was not far behind her, having chosen to transport her to her favorite place to eat the forest greens around her rather than somewhere convenient and close to town for Alex. Despite her orneriness, Alex couldn't help but adore the elephant, though. She had an attitude and although she was technically Alex's, she somehow belonged to no one. Alex admired that.

"Kuru? What are you doing here?" she asked, stopping to let him catch up.

"I have been coming here to wait for you daily for weeks now. I have been wanting to talk to you. I knew Anala would eventually bring you here." he explained, walking alongside her.

"What was so important?" she questioned, looking up at him with concern.

"I have been concerned for you, Princess. As your friend. It has been nearly a month since the elders told you of what you must do." he said, shaking his head so that his nearly-black hair whipped around his face ever so slightly before falling perfectly into place. It was as if he'd straightened it with a straightening iron that morning, working toward perfection for hours, but Manjipour had no such things. Apparently he just woke up like that. Amanda had once said she envied him for having such "great hair" to which the princess had not commented. He reminded Alex of one of those models in a shampoo commercial, only a male version. And for some reason she found that she liked to observe little movements of his like that, to watch his hair fall into place and his dark eyes light up. Usually he kept his hair tied back on sweltering days like this, but she had more important things on her mind than figuring out why a servant had left his hair down and she refused to ponder on that thought. Personally, she liked his hair better when it was short and shaggy, as he'd kept it when they'd first met, but she liked the way he looked now as well. Somehow it made him look more like a man than a boy. When she realized she felt that way, she shut the thought out without hesitation.

"I know, Kuru. I just don't know where to start. I mean, I really haven't dated that much and I'm already so tired of boys from here and boys from home." she shrugged. She wanted to push that thought away as well, not think about it, but she knew there was no time for that. She had to deal with it. It'd been a month and no one had caught her eye. She was figuring out that she could not wait for him to find her, at this point, she needed to go out and find him.

"As long as you find someone who treats you the way a Princess should be treated, I will be satisfied." he nodded, looking ahead.

"Thank you for your concern, Kuru." The princess sighed, letting her chest rise and fall, pushing her dark brown bangs aside so that her forehead was exposed to the summer breeze that graced the trees with its presence. Her brown waves felt heavy on her back in the suffocating humidity. "This whole love thing is kind of frustrating, you know?" she looked up at Kuru as he walked alongside her. "And the whole being-a-magical-princess-thing doesn't make it much easier. Boys back in Australia think I'm a freak or insane and boys here only see me as their princess of they're afraid of me."

"Any man would be lucky to call you his queen, Princess. Do not worry. You will find him where you least expect." he smiled and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

She loved the way his smile could calm her nerves, take her to a place where there was nothing but wildflowers and sunshine and beauty, nothing to worry about, nothing to figure out, and nothing to fear. Out of everyone in the kingdom, he was certainly the most valuable in her eyes. She supposed one day he'd have to get married and she'd have to let him go, let him live his life. She did not look forward to that day. What would she do without her friend to stand by her side? After all, he was her only close friend in Manjipour. "Thank you Kuru…I, um, I've decided to drop my classes on Monday." she cleared her throat. She did not want to sit in silence, letting is kind words hang in the air, so she moved onto the next subject that popped into her head. "And I'll come up with something to tell my parents, like I'm going on a trip to Africa to help the orphans or something admirable like that. Just so they know that I'm okay and they don't wonder where I've gone. And they have a reason for why they can't reach me." she explained, trying to ignore the sadness that was building up inside her.

"I hate to see you hurting, Princess." Kuru said. She tried to look away, but he took her chin in his hand so that she had to look at him with her hazel eyes filled with pain. "I am sure you will find a way to see your family without going for too long."

Fearing she might stare into his nearly-black eyes for too long, she tore her gaze away. "I suppose I could say that I'm moving out of the country. It's not really a lie. And then I could say that I've married someone from this foreign country." she tried to think of a story to tell her parents, the story she'd tell for the rest of her life.

"And surely you could visit them once a year or so. Perhaps on one of your earthly holidays." he tried to cheer her up with positive thoughts.

She smiled a real smile for the first time that day. "What would I do without you, Kuru?"

He smiled back at her and gave her a simple answer, "You would still be Princess Liliuokalani, Manjipour's most beautiful and wonderful future queen."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Alex was walking to the school office that sunny Australian day. Her mind cluttered with thoughts of things she had to do to prepare for the big day. And the move to Manjipour, which was to become her full-time home. Visits to the Gold Coast would be rare. And there was so much to take care of. But first; the one that would probably baffle her parents the most. Dropping out of school out of the blue. It'd been nice while it'd lasted. Not the whole learning math and science and stuff, but getting to do what she loved. But she'd known all along she probably wouldn't make it all the way through. Still, she was grateful. If her mother had never sent her to this world for her own protection in the first place, she never would've picked up a guitar at all. She figured perhaps she'd take her favorite acoustic with her to the palace and maybe she'd introduce Manjipour to a piece of musical beauty from her world. The thought brought her comfort.

She stopped outside the office door, her mind still adrift, and reached for the door knob. Just as she was about to pull the door open, it was pushed from the other side and someone came bounding out just a bit recklessly, pushing her down and sending her books and papers flying. He stumbled in an attempt to stop himself and then he too fell to the ground. Alex lie on her back and groaned, her head aching from hitting the floor so hard. She covered her face with her hands for a moment and then she looked at the fluorescent lights above, thinking this was just her luck. With a sigh, she turned over and looked at the mess she had to clean up. The boy had dropped his own books and papers as well and now they were all mixed together in a heap on the floor. Other students carefully stepped around the mess, not bothering to help or ask if either of them were okay. A couple of boys even laughed as one of their friends kicked a textbook across the hall. Alex said a few choice words for him in her head, then reminded herself that princesses were forgiving and patient. She couldn't let these immature little freshmen cause her to leave stains on her conduct.

"Man, I'm so sorry." the boy groaned, sitting up and holding his head. "I guess that's what I get for being in a hurry. I'm definitely going to be late to class now." He tried to lighten the mood as Alex crawled around on the floor, collecting her belongings. Not to sound snobby, but in that moment she was glad that in Manjipour, as a princess, she would not be crawling around on the floor for any reason.

"It's alright." she sighed, tucking her hair back behind her ears. She didn't even stop to look at him, too busy turning over papers to see if they belonged to him if they were hers. Of course, they were already covered in dirty footprints from her classmates.

"I'm…I'm an exchange student. From America. I heard they have a great music program here." he explained, crawling up next to her and helping her sort through papers.

"Is that so?" she asked a bit sarcastically. Due to the way they'd met and the situation, it was only natural for her reaction to him to be negative and she expected his to be the same towards her, but it seemed he was trying to make conversation to make friends. Of course, the princess did not have time to make friends. There was no need for it, either. That was just another person she had to tell she was leaving and never coming back for some mysterious reason.

"Yeah, uh…Texas." he added, to which she did not reply. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again, "So where are you from? Did you grow up on the Gold Coast?" he questioned.

"Look, I'd love to talk, but I've got some things," she turned to look at him and froze instantly when her hazel eyes met his icy blue. Her breath caught in her throat and she could hardly look away to notice his shaggy blond hair and his skin tanned by the Texas sun. "…to…take care of." she finished her sentence.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I should be getting to class. Don't wanna be late on the first day." He was saying. Then the bell rang. "Well, no later than I already am." He grinned.

Alex felt her heart beat rapidly in her chest and struggled not to panic. Why should she panic? She was the princess of Manjipour. She did not have to try, she did not have to work at it. She could have her pick of any boy she wanted. But that was in Manjipour. Here in Australia, she had to fight for what she wanted just like any other girl. And at first she'd wanted that, to be a normal girl, but having that royal power would've come in handy right about now. That was when a thought popped into her head.

"Here, this is yours." he said, handing her her chemistry book.

She reached out for it and their hands made contact briefly. She felt herself jump ever so slightly and she pulled away a little too quickly. "Thanks." The princess said softly, unable to look away from those eyes. She didn't have long. She had less than five months now and the moments just kept ticking boy. Could this boy possibly be the one she'd been looking for? Could this unsuspecting American be the next king of Manjipour. Five months. Maybe that would be just enough.

"I—I hope I'll see you around." he rose to his feet and then reached down to help her do that same.

"Oh, no." she remembered the reason she'd come to the office in the first place. "I'll be leaving school soon. I, uh, really can't focus on my classes right now." she nodded.

"Oh…" he looked disappointed. "Are you moving away?"

"Not just yet. Why?" she asked, hoping that it was because he had an interest in her and not that he was just nosy.

"Well, if you'll be spending some time on the Gold Coast, maybe…I was thinking maybe we could get to know each other a little bit better. Maybe we could spend a day on the beach this weekend or…something." he asked her out as awkwardly as a boy possibly could. "My roommate's having a bonfire down on the coast in a couple of weeks. Maybe we could…go together?" he offered.

"Yeah, sure." she accepted, unable to keep from smiling. She was completely lost in those eyes and she wasn't sure if she would be able to find her way out. Of course, she would have to because he needed to get to class and she needed to do the opposite.

"Could I have your number? You know so I could…contact you?"

"Oh, yeah." Alex shook her head and blushed, then took quickly wrote her number down on a piece of paper before ripping it off and handing it to the boy.

"Great…." he took it and then looked around as the other late students shuffled off to class. "So…" he began to back away. "I'll…I'll call you!" he said before turning and speeding off to class, looking back to flash her a grin.

Alex couldn't bring herself to speak, but she found that his grin was contagious.

The time between then and the date seemed to speed by and at the same time, it felt like a lifetime. Alex told Amanda all she knew about him—which was hardly anything—and she was promptly dragged to the mall to get a new bathing suit and the perfect outfit. Alex tried not to worry too much about the fact that if this worked out, she was going to have to tell him the truth. That she was magical princess and she needed a king. What if that freaked him out? That was a lot for a guy to handle. And would he be willing to leave his whole life behind for that? He came all the way from America just to go to school. Why would he want to leave after showing that much dedication? He didn't owe Manjipour a thing. Staring at herself in the mirror on that fateful night, Alex let out a sigh and reminded herself that if it was meant to be, it'd happen.

She had told Kuru of the date on her last visit to Manjipour. Walking alongside Anala in the market, she tried not to sound so lovestruck and she tried not to talk about his blue eyes too much. Even she was disgusted by the fact that she couldn't get them out of her mind. They were so hypnotizing and easy to trust. Maybe a little too easy. Kuru's reaction was exactly what she'd been expecting; cautious as ever and a bit protective. At first he told the princess he was happy for her, but when he thought about the fact that she hardly knew him, he was worried about the princess' safety. He would not be there to protect her. Of course, Alex didn't think she needed protection. She was a grown woman and rather ignorant to the dangers of the world without protection from parents or a friend or a can of mace. Maybe she was just a bit too trusting. But that wasn't uncommon for someone her age. Some lessons you just have to learn the hard way.

That night she wore a Maxi dress that went down to her shins, where it met her cream heels, the type that had satin ribbons that she tied up her lower leg. The dress' main color was a light blue with roses of purple and a darker blue at the bottom and at the top along with light green leaves. A thin strip of leather tied at the waist, showing that she actually had one. She wore a modest bikini underneath in case there would be any swimming. If she were a normal girl, perhaps she'd wear a more revealing bathing suit in a pathetic attempt to impress her date, but she had to remember that she was a princess. A symbol of grace and class. She needed to act like one. She left her hair down for the occasion, free to blow in the sea wind. She was almost ready when she remembered one last thing; what the elders had given her the last time they'd met. A golden necklace with an elephant pendent. She had two, one to give to her husband, and one for herself. They were a symbol of marriage in Manjipour. Once it was fastened around her neck, she looked at it in the mirror as she toyed with the beautiful piece of jewelry. The elephant was supposed to be Anala, that much was obvious. It felt lovely to be able to take her precious friend with her wherever she may go.

That was when there was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" Alex called, turning away from her reflection and walking down the hall of the cozy little flat she shared with Amanda. Her heart thudded like a rabbit's as she unlocked the front door and turned the knob, knowing that he was on the other side. By now she knew that his name was Dustin, he played the electric guitar, and his dream was to of course, to be famous. This disappointed Alex because he needed this world, not hers. "Hi." she said, rather breathless as she opened the door.

"You look beautiful." he smiled at her.

"Thank you." Alex was unable to keep the grin off of the face and she looked away in an attempt to hide her blush.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, gesturing to his…vehicle that idled on the curb.

"On that?" Alex raised an eyebrow as she stared at the motorcycle that she assumed he'd brought with him from America. Her mother never would've allowed it, she thought. Of course, she was fully grown. She could do what she wanted. Her instincts were sending her mixed messages in her head and she wasn't sure which one to trust.

"What else?" he asked with a smirk as she stepped out the door.

"Uh, I guess so…." Alex trailed off and slowly followed him down the bath to where the bike sat.

"I only have one helmet, but I think it'd be better if my head was split open than yours." he picked up the black helmet that sat on the seat of the motorcycle then he proceeded to put it on her.

She was glad he couldn't see her smile through the tinted glass. She thought that was sweet. Stupid, but sweet. She was also having trouble not laughing at how silly she must've looked, pairing her lovely dress and her fancy heels with a motorcycle helmet. But it was better than having her head split open, she supposed.


	4. Chapter 4

I really do appreciate every read and every review :) Thank y'all so much. Sorry that it's been a while. And for those of you that are concerned about Kurex, don't worry your pretty little heads about it ;)

The engine roared to life with a turn of the key and she held onto him tightly, wrapping her arms around his waist automatically, resting her head on his back. The motorcycle took off, speeding through the streets at speeds that seemed safe in a car, but not a bike without a seatbelt. Alex couldn't help but hug Dustin tighter and squeeze her eyes shut at times, hoping that this southern boy knew what he was doing and wouldn't send her flying to the side of the road. She liked to think that her tight hold made him smile, this boy that she might spend the rest of her life with. This boy that might be the love of her life, the father of her future children, she thought. But then she stopped herself from daydreaming before she could get too far ahead.

Once they came out of the city, the sun's rays warmed Alex's skin, greeting her with little kisses now that they were no longer blocked by towering buildings. Dustin continued along the road, speeding by the beach where the children splashed in the water as the sun set and the teenagers played volleyball and the older folks relaxed in their chairs beneath umbrellas that were no longer needed now that the sun was about to meet the ocean on the horizon.

Alex expected Dustin to turn and park somewhere at any time, but he kept driving, eventually turning off on a road that was more narrow, headed uphill. Looking out at the ocean, the sea salt from the air invading her lungs and the hair that was free from the helmet dancing in the wind, Alex took it all in. Were there beaches in Manjipour? If there were, she must not have explored enough to find them. Manjipour was a beautiful place with lush forests that twinkled in the twilight with fireflies and magic. Green ivy grew up the palace walls and from the very top of the palace, standing on the balcony, Alex could see mountains looming in the distance. She wondered what lie beyond them, but it was not the princess' job to explore the kingdom. It was her job to run the palace and take care of her people. Surely, she would miss this view of the Gold Coast, the way it took her breath away. She tried to take pictures with her mind while she still could, stars beginning to appear in the darkening sky above.

Dustin followed the winding road and eventually they began to descend the hill and the sea momentarily disappeared from Alex's view, blocked by the tops of palm trees that swayed beside the guardrails of the road in the gentle breeze. Alex had never been here before. She'd never really strayed this far from the city. Looking ahead as Dustin slowed the motorcycle, she could see cars parked alongside the road and in the sand of this secluded cove. There were people gathered around a bonfire by the ocean. Hopefully their party wouldn't be ruined by the incoming tide.

There were a few people standing around an old rusty van, pulling their surf boards from the back and then racing toward the sea as the waves crashed on the sand. Alex was relieved that she'd brought her swimsuit when she saw some other girls playing in the shallow, crystal clear water. Their boyfriends stood nearby and one went to lift what Alex assumed was his girlfriend off her feet and then toss her into the water. Alex couldn't hear over the motorcycle's engine, but she could see the laughter on her face. There was also a small shack off in the corner by the palm trees. It looked like it'd been abandoned and Alex didn't give it much thought.

Dustin pulled into the cove where there was a break in the guardrail and killed the engine. Alex took off the helmet and shook her hair out. She could hear the sound of the fire cracking, smell the ashes as they rose and then rained down, she could hear laughter and squeals of excitement, the crashing of the waves. It was much better than the sound of Dustin's motorcycle, which was slightly deafening.

"I hope that wasn't too scary for you." He smiled at her, getting off the bike and putting down the kickstand.

"It wasn't too bad for my first time." she grinned, handing him the helmet. He sat it on the seat in front of her and then surprised her by lifting her off the bike. She gasped as he twirled her around before putting her down on the ground. She giggled, trying not to sway with her dizziness.

He took her hand and began to lead her toward the scene of the bonfire. After a few steps, he used his other hand to pull a cigarette out from his jacket and put it in his mouth before pulling out a lighter.

Alex was a bit taken aback. "Oh. You smoke?" she didn't want to make him feel like she was judging him, but people didn't smoke in Manjipour and she knew it was a hard addiction to break.

"Don't all the kids our age?" he winked at her, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. "Not to mention the famous rock stars. I'm going to be one of them, you know."

Alex forced a smile, but she didn't say anything, holding her breath and hoping that the smell of the sea would be enough to overpower the stomach-churning smell of his cigarette. He sounded a bit delusional now. Maybe like a bit of a sell-out and he wasn't even famous yet.

"Dustin!" a boy called to his friend from beside the fire. "Over here!"

He let go of Alex's hand and she followed him in the direction of his friend. She was starting to think that blue eyes were easy to get lost in, but that maybe losing herself to these blue eyes wasn't such a good idea. He took his friend's hand once they reached the fire and they did that weird hand shake guys do.

"Glad you could make it." he said. "You want a beer?" he offered immediately and Alex noticed the brown bottle in his hand. Of course, Alex was of age. She had been for over two years, but she'd hardly had more than a sip of champagne on her birthday. The smell of beer didn't exactly make her crave a taste of it. Every once in a while Amanda would bring home a bottle of nice wine and she knew that most of her class mates were into some heavy drinking at parties, but she usually stuck to her fruity, kiddie beverages. It didn't seem like a good habit to form to her. Especially as the princess of a magical kingdom. And of course, she was surely a light weight with no idea what she was doing and she didn't want to lose her head and control of her body and mouth.

"Thanks, man." Dustin took the bottle from his friend and popped off the cap like he'd done it a million times before.

"And one for the lady?" the boy took another one from the blue cooler beside him and held it out for Alex, but she wrinkled her nose and shook her head, forcing a polite smile so that she wouldn't offend him. She appreciated the offer, but at the same time, she didn't. "Are you gonna get hammered again, mate?" he looked at Dustin, who was chugging the beer like water found in the dessert.

"What do you think?" Dustin asked with a smirk, coming up for air. "The sooner the better, right?"

Alex was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. This definitely wasn't her scene. But it appeared to be Dustin's.

"Well, I know I'm right about one thing, you definitely know how to party." the boy slapped Dustin on the back in that way guy friends did.

"Just be a bit more careful than last time, Dustin. I know you want to live the rock star life, but you're never gonna get there if we keep having to take you to the emergency room." a girl with an American accent and blond hair stood up from one of the logs around the bonfire and came over.

"Hey, that was my first time legally drinking." Dustin defended himself. "There's no way I could've drank like that in America. At least not without getting caught."

"Don't be such a downer, Ronnie." the boy said with disgust and she rolled her eyes in response. "Let's go look at that bike of yours again, mate." And with that, the boy led Dustin away, leaving Alex alone with a bunch of strangers.

For a moment, she only looked around and toyed with her necklace awkwardly. It made her feel safe, reminding her of her other home, Manjipour.

"He give that to you?" Ronnie asked, looking at the elephant intently.

"Oh, no." Alex shook her head. "It was, um…a gift from a friend." she smiled. She certainly wasn't about to tell this girl that it was practically an early wedding present from the elders of the magical kingdom that she ruled.

"No surprise there. The only thing that boy'll give you is trouble."

"What do you mean?" Alex looked up. Ronnie had her full attention.

"You know, I've listened to him play that guitar of his. The one with the Texas flag on it? He's pretty good at it. He has this dream of being a rock star and that includes it all. The drugs, the alcohol, the cigarettes. The arrests, DUIs, the lung cancer. It'll all just be a part of his image for his adoring fans and the money. He makes good music, but one day that boy's gonna crash a burn, I tell you." she spoke bitterly. "Give it an hour and he'll be wasted. I hope you know how to drive that bike or you can call a cab." she looked at Alex then and saw the confused expression on her face. "Sorry. He just…I see my dad in him. And now I don't see my dad because he'd behind prison bars."

"Is he really that bad?" she questioned. To be honestly, she hardly knew this boy, but it felt like she was about to learn a thing or two.

"He might have blue eyes like an angel, but he ain't no angel." she sighed. "I used to go to school with him back in America. He was a mess our freshman year, then I transferred here. I don't know what he's told you, but he's not doing the whole 'study abroad, see the world' thing like me. He got kicked out." she explained.

"For what?" Alex's eyes grew big. He certainly wouldn't be fit to be a king. Not unless he cleaned himself up real fast and that'd take a miracle or some kind of magic that even Alex didn't possess.

"Same thing he'll get kicked out of here for. There may be a different drinking age, but don't go thinking he won't get a DUI—or five. Fightin', drugs, skipping class. That boy ain't no good." Ronnie told her, crossing her arms and shaking her head as she looked after him.

"What about…what about the girls in his life?" Alex asked nervously.

"Now look, I don't know what a pretty, innocent little thing like you is doing with a boy like that, but that boy ain't no gentleman and he don't know how to treat a lady. He dated one of my friends once and she used to have to wear long sleeves and extra make-up to cover up the bruises. And I don't know what else he did to her, but she was never the same after him. Lord knows what that boy's daddy did to him to mess him up." Ronnie went on.

Alex felt sick. "I need some air…." she started to walk off. "Uh, thanks, Ronnie. For telling me about him." She could only hope that Ronnie was exaggerating and that somehow she'd make it home safely tonight or that maybe this boy would have a sudden change of heart and he'd take good care of her.

"If you really want to thank me, don't get involved with him." Was all Ronnie said before she turned and walked away.

Alex sighed, defeated and walked toward the shore. She took her shoes off and let the sea kiss her feet where the clear water met the golden sand. Broken shells crunched beneath her feet as she waded into the water up to her ankles. She would miss the annoying feeling. She would miss the sea mist and the unexpected larger waves that slammed into her and got her dress wet. She would miss everything.

By now the sun had set and Alex was still hanging out by herself. Some party. A party of one. Most of the surfers had put their boards away and everyone was gathered around the fire, laughing, oblivious to the lonely girl in the water beneath the stars and the full moon above. As the tide came in, tall waves crashed over Alex, but she did her best to enjoy the waves' roller coaster ride. This might be the last time she ever got to experience it.

It was getting later, but the party certainly wasn't slowing down. It was getting more wild in fact, with louder music, shouting, dancing, and a bit of grinding that made Alex crinkle her nose. If this was what Dustin really liked, if this was what living like a rock star was like, he certainly wouldn't fit in in Manjipour. At one time, she too had wished that she could live the life of a famous person, a shooting star, untouchable and adored by fans who knew her lyrics by heart. But she'd never dreamed of this scene before. She was naturally a good girl and honestly, she preferred being out there in the waves than with the rest of the crowd.

She could feel the rip tide pulling at her, trying to take her out to sea, but the water was shallow enough where she stood that she wasn't worried about that or the waves that were nearly as tall as she. She felt at peace, toying with her necklace as she stared down at the sea foam and the full moon stared down at her, the stars twinkling in the sky like rhinestones. As she stepped, little guppies fled in their little groups to avoid being crushed, not that Alex would ever do such a thing. She was gentle with even the smallest of creatures, from elephant to lady bugs. She smiled at the tiny little fish as they swam away, their scales glimmering in the moonlight.

Those adorable shoes she'd had were long gone by now. She'd meant to move them once the tide came in, but she'd been too busy getting lost in her head and now they sat on the sand somewhere beneath the water. That was okay, though. Her life on the Gold Coast was only temporary and girls didn't wear shoes like that in Manjipour. In addition to that, she wasn't so eager to please her date any longer. She hadn't seen him since he'd gone off with some of his friends. He hadn't even bothered coming to look for her, to hang out. She could only guess that he was drunk and hanging out with his buddies. Why had he even invited her to tag along?

Suddenly, when Alex wasn't paying attention, it was as if the sand beneath her feet was ripped out from beneath her. I guess that's how rip tide works, though. The water hardly even came to her knees, but the water's force pulled her to the sand and pulled her into a wave that seemed to tower over her from where she sat. She couldn't get back to her feet fast enough. The waves crashed over her, taking her breath away with its power and might. At first, it shoved her forward, forcing her on all fours. Her hair and dress were completely soaked as her head came up out of the water, choking and trying to get the sea water out of her lungs. Her eyes stung with the salt.

But the water didn't just force her forward and then leave her. No, it proceeded to pull her back with the water. Alex struggled to get a grip with her hands, but the water lifted her back to her feet where she water came to her waist. She desperately tried to dig her feet into the sand, but the water was pulling the sand away from the shore as well. Another wave came crashing over Alex then, sending her underwater in a summersault that was anything but graceful. She came up gasping for air and sputtering. It felt like it'd only been a few second, but looking back at the shore, it was getting further and further away. Another wave came then, sending water up the princess' nose and down her throat. This wave pushed her further back to shore at first, carrying her with it and all of its might and majesty.

"Help!" Alex cried, choking as her nose and throat burned. "Help!" she shouted again, more desperate this time, but the crowd gathered around the bonfire didn't seem to notice. She went to scream for help again, but a wave over took her, dragging her beneath the surface, twisting her round and round like one of those rubber rulers. The princess opened her eyes under the water and she couldn't see anything at first, unsure of which way was up and which was down. That is until she spotted the moon and followed the light to the surface.

"Help me! Please!" she screamed, a bit more blood-curdling this time. She had a dim idea of how to get out of a rip tide, but she was in too much of a panic to remember it. And she felt so tired already. Almost like giving up as the ocean pulled her further and further away. No, it couldn't end like this. Manjipour needed her. She hadn't come this far to quit now.

Alex closed her eyes as a wave crashed over her again, sending her deep beneath the surface and twisting her around, dragging her deeper and deeper to a point where she couldn't touch the sand at the bottom. Fighting it with everything she had, fighting until her muscles ached, she came back to the surface and took a deep breath, knowing another wave would be coming behind her. And it did and it proceeded to drag her into the blackness of the water.

"Hold on!" someone shouted from the shore just before she went under.

The princess did her best to hold her breath, but being tossed around like that literally knocked the wind out of her. She winced, but only bubbles came out. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see were bubbles and sea foam. Reaching up for the surface once more, she didn't know what she was hoping for. After this wave there would only be another one. But then, just as her fingers were about to disappear into the water, she felt someone grab her hand and pull her up.

Alex rose from the water, her chest heaving as she took deep breaths, appreciating the air more than she ever had before.

"You shouldn't be out here alone." Dustin said, trying to push Alex's tangled hair out of her face so that she could see. His speech slurred and she knew he was somewhat drunk—sober enough that he could grab a surfboard and swim out to her, but he had a certain look in his eye. "I've been looking for you." he informed her as he pulled her up on the surfboard. "I thought you ditched me for a while there." he said. He seemed dizzy, a bit disoriented by the alcohol in his brain, but that didn't stop him from rowing them diagonal back to shore. The rest of the group of party-goers didn't seem worried. In fact, it didn't look like they'd even noticed the dramatic scene going down behind them. "An old classmate of mine said she'd seen you walking on the beach. I thought I'd let you be alone for a while, that you'd join the party if you wanted to." he tried to explain, a bit breathless.

Alex didn't say anything. She was exhausted. She wanted to be mad at him for getting drunk rather than spending time with her and including her in the party, even if it wasn't her scene, but she was too tired. And grateful. She clung to the surfboard for dear life.

They soon reached the shore and Alex flopped off the board, onto the dry sand it felt so good. She wanted to make a sand angel and play in it like the kids on TV played in snow. She'd never loved the earth's surface so much. She felt her heart in her chest as Dustin lie down next to her, almost equally as exhausted. Her heart felt like it was beating a thousand miles an hour, but it was beginning to slow as she caught her breath, reassured herself that she was alright now. "I owe you." she breathed. "You saved my life. I'm in debt to you." she laughed a little bit, staring up at the stars.

He sat up rather suddenly then, alarming her and causing her to do the same. "I know a way you can pay me back." he didn't hesitate to closer to her and then he took her face in his hand. Alex wasn't exactly pleased by this. Her hair was a mess, her make-up was probably running down her face, and she had sand all over her. She did not feel the need to get lost in the beautiful blue eyes of this boy and have him get lost in hers at that particular moment. She felt like a mess—not exactly beautiful or ready for a romantic moment. Not that she was so sure she wanted to have one of those with him anymore. "You're a beautiful girl, Allison." he said. He smelled like beer and sea water.

"Alex." she didn't even flinch at his mistake.

He ignored her. "I could take that debt away right now if you want." he stood up and then he bent to pick her up, carrying her across the sand bridal style.

"Huh?" Alex made a face, totally lost on what he was getting at. "Where are we going?" she looked around and then became just a bit frantic. The other party-goers weren't paying the slightest bit of attention, all of them surrounding the fire and some guy playing a song on his guitar. "Dustin, I want to go home." the princess said just a bit demandingly as he carried her further and further away from the rest of the crowd.

"Don't be silly." he grunted and then threw her over his shoulder. "The party's just getting started." he stumbled a little in his gait, but he seemed determined.

"What do you mean? We've been here for hours, Dustin. I want to go home. Fighting rip tide makes you really tired." she insisted. She knew she sounded whiney and maybe even ungrateful, but she had no idea what Dustin was getting at.

He only chuckled and headed in the direction of the palms that surrounded the somewhat secluded little shack. The one that Alex had originally assumed was abandoned. But upon entering, Alex saw that there was a light on. Dustin turned to close the door behind him and she saw a boy about her age sitting on the loveseat of the small, one-room shack. He was smoking something with an ash tray on the coffee table and looked up at them in surprise. "Hey, Andy. You mind if I use your place for a few minutes?" he asked casually.

"Yeah, sure…." he put out whatever he was smoking, getting the idea of what Dustin was wanting to use the place for and he got up, hurrying toward the exit without a second thought.

"Now that we're all alone…." Dustin practically threw Alex down on the queen-sized bed once Andy was gone. "You can start paying me back."

"Excuse me?" Alex asked in disbelief, sitting up as he peeled his shirt off.

"Lay down." he ordered, pushing her down with more force than she would've expected. He wasn't treating her like a lady in the slightest or even being gentle with her despite what he was planning on doing with her. This wasn't romantic in the slightest. Once she was lying on her back, he began to crawl on top of her and sloppily kiss her neck.

"I've never done this before," Alex began, putting her hands on his chest and digging her nails into his flesh. "And that's not going to change tonight." she growled, pinching his skin with the intention of making him bleed.

Dustin withdrew in shock, but he didn't even bother looking at his wounds. He slapped her right across the face. And not just a warning slap to encourage her to be more submissive. The slap stung like a hundred bees on the cheek of a pretty princess. It took her breath away as her hand went to the new wound. "We'll just see about that, princess." he said, pushing her down again and pinning her hands above her head roughly.

She tried to move her legs, to kick him where it'd really hurt, but he had her completely pinned. His fingers and knees would surely leave marks on her wrists and shins and thighs. His rough kisses of lust rather than love would leave marks on her neck and she'd have marks on her wrists and her ribs where he tried to touch her in the most private of places. This was the perfect time to use magic, but the princess couldn't even move her fingers.

Dustin reached up under her dress, causing her to squirm—or at least attempt to. He was going for her chest, but the princess wouldn't have it. She saw the opportunity and she seized it, spitting in his face. He immediately jumped back and wiped her DNA away with disgust, but he didn't release her. What she'd done made him angry. The rage visible in his eyes and the fear in Alex's, he took his hand, wrapped it around the princess' throat, and slammed her head into the headboard behind her. She winced in pain, but she did not give in. She continued to struggle with everything she had.

"Princess, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. It's all up to you." Dustin growled. Alex could've swore his eyes went from blue to black in that moment.

"No." she growled back, taking the opportunity to bite him on the wrist.

He took in a sharp breath and released her neck to look at his wrist for about half a second, but then he was holding her down again, calling her names. Names that a princess should never be called. She tried to squirm out of his grasp again, lifting her abdomen off the bed, but he took his hand and slammed her down onto the mattress, causing an intense pain in her ribs. "Now you're going to do as I say and let me have my fun. You might even like it. You might even want me to let my friends take turns with you."

Alex's eyes filled with pure hatred then. Take turns with her. As if she were something to be owned. She was a princess. And she would not go down without a fight. She took the opportunity to spit in his face yet again, but this time he was not so surprised. He retaliated by slapping her in the mouth as if she were a child. "Maybe I should've left you out there to drown. Let you be a nice little snack for the sharks."

Alex didn't say anything, she only glared up at him. She almost thought maybe he should've done that too. She would've rather died with her dignity and innocence than live without it.

"What's this little necklace you got here?" he asked, picking up the elephant pendant.

"It's…it's from my grandparents." Alex said the first thing that came to mind. "There's two. One for me and…one for my future husband. The elephant is a symbol of purity and marriage." She didn't know why she was telling him all of this. Maybe she just wanted to stall him, maybe she wanted to see if he'd feel guilty in the slightest. It was unfair. Just because she was smaller and not as strong and she was pretty in the eyes of a lustful man, she was being treated like a tool of pleasure rather than a human being.

"Purity, huh?" he laughed. "Well, after tonight you won't be needing this anymore." And he ripped the necklace from around her neck before she could object, breaking the chain and tossing it on the floor.

"How dare you." Alex growled.

"Just relax and it might not hurt so bad." he told her, making sure she was pinned so that she couldn't move in the slightest. The only thing she could move was her mouth and spitting in the boy's face was obviously not going to do much to help her case. So she began screaming just as desperately as she had in the ocean when the waves had been pulling her out to sea. "Go on and scream. No one can hear you." he said into her neck, creating a trail of kisses and getting closer and closer to her chest, his lips hungry for her body. But the princess certainly wasn't hungry for him.

Hot tears of anger, frustration, hatred, and ultimately, sadness overcame her. She realized what was happening. She realized that she would not be the same after tonight no matter what happened. Maybe the bruised on her ribs and waste and legs and shoulders and wrists and her face would heal and disappear, but her heart had a tear in it that would last forever. She felt humiliated because she couldn't save herself. It was her body and he was treating her as if he owned her. But he was so much stronger than her and there was nothing that she could do. Nothing but scream as boiling tears began to stream down her face.

"Anala!" she screamed the most blood-curdling scream, her face red with desperation. "Anala muck!"

"What kind of crazy voodoo are you saying?" he asked, calling her a name that I'm not allowed to use (XD). A name that rhymes with witch. "Just relax and let me enjoy you."

"Anala!" she hollered, trying to keep the sobs that were building in her chest. She screamed so hard it felt as if her throat should be bleeding. The princess had never felt so worthless, degraded, helpless, and weak in her life. She could only continue to beg for the help of the royal elephant as she lie beneath Dustin, who was beginning to work at the back of her dress. With all of the pain in her breaking heart, the princess screamed, "Anala muck!"

Back in Manjipour

It was almost as if Anala and the princess shared a soul then for she felt the princess' distress deep in her heart from a world away. She'd been peacefully grazing in the forest, but she suddenly stopped when she realized she was being called. The desperation in the princess' voice was enough that even a creature as big as Anala shook. Dropping the leaves she'd held in her trunk, the royal elephant charged forward. Her instincts told her she shouldn't go alone and she knew just who to take with her.

She stampeded through the forest along the path, trumpeting to warn hunters and passersby that she was coming and they quickly got out of the way, staring after the royal elephant with wide eyes. Anala never behaved this way. Anala did as she pleased, took her time. She was always calm and relaxed. As she charged through the marketplace on the way to the palace, the whole kingdom seemed to stop. Time seemed to stand still and everyone watched after the elephant, trumpeting loud enough that if it weren't for her feet already doing the job, she would probably cause the very earth beneath her to shake.

Women shrieked and pulled their children from Anala's path, backing up until their backs hit the merchants' tables and Anala did not slow down. Adrenaline coursed through her ancient veins and her eyes dilated as she pushed herself to move faster and faster. She could not go fast enough, for she could still hear her master's voice in her head, screaming for help so desperate and helpless and hopeless. It was becoming hysterical now. Anala could hear her name being called along with relentless begging. She could hear the tears in her voice and it was almost enough to make even the giant beast shed a tear as well. "Get your hands off me!" she could hear Alex cry between sobs. "Please, stop!"

The palace came into view and the guards at the front gate looked up, alarmed to see the royal elephant in such a state. It would've been their duty to stand their ground, to stop the elephant before she barreled through the gate and then call for an elephant boy to calm the creature, but as they stood their ground with grim expressions, the elephant did not slow. They carried spears, but they could not hurt the royal elephant even in their own defense. The guards stood their ground until the very last second, when they realized she was not going to stop for any reason and they both sent themselves flying onto either side of the road.

And then the palace gate was nothing more than a few broken pieces of wood and metal on the ground. Of course, Anala did not stop there. She trumpeted again, calling for someone she knew could help her. And she did not wait for him to come out, she stampeded forward with every intention of breaking through the palace door and finding him herself. Another set of guards stood at the door and they looked frightened, having never seen Anala like this before. They both pointed their spears at her, shaking and backed up against the door. They had no intention of hurting the elephant, of course, but they were between an elephant and a locked door. It was their last resort.

Anala stopped suddenly there and reared up, trumpeting loudly enough that Alex might've been able to hear it from her world as well. Landing on the ground on all fours once again, the earth thudded beneath her and she went around, refusing to give up there. And she ran along the palace wall until she came to the window that she'd been looking, the one that sat behind Kuru and his desk, where he worked on all of the "boring" paperwork the princess couldn't keep herself awake to do for herself. The elephant did not bother "knocking" with her trunk or ramming her head into the palace wall, but she trumpeted once again, rising up on her back legs so that the whole world would hear and see. Kuru was leaned against his desk with his back turned to the window, surely reading some important documents that the would've put the princess to sleep had he not been around to take care of these things for her.

Recognizing that trumpet anywhere, Kuru turned around, alarmed and he literally dropped what he was doing, for the princess was surely in trouble. The papers fell to the floor and scattered themselves about, but Kuru didn't slow. He ran to the window and threw it open, "Anala, what's wrong?" he asked, as if the elephant could sleep English.

She trumpeted again, stamping her feet and waving her ears like palm leaves swayed in a violent wind.

Not wasting any time, Kuru climbed out the window and walked up to the elephant, putting a hand on her forehead in an attempt to calm her. He'd never been the best of the boys back when he'd been an elephant boy, but he had a connection with Anala. Not one like the princess had, but an understanding.

And like Kuru, Anala didn't waste any time. Sparkles of green surrounded them and then they were gone.

On the Gold Coast

The princess had stopped calling for Anala by now. She couldn't think straight. All she could do was scream hysterically as tears streamed down her face. He removed her garments and he was too strong for her to stop him. All she could do was beg and cry and close her eyes so that she wouldn't have to see as he undressed himself and threw the offending garments to the floor. He pinned her down tightly, sure to leave marks on her the next day. But the princess couldn't even begin to think about tomorrow. It didn't feel like tomorrow existed. It felt like this was going to kill her and in that moment, she hoped so. Because she didn't want to live with the shame. She was already scarred permanently—would she ever be able to trust another man? Those blue eyes had been so easy to fall into but look where falling had got her. She was on her back and screaming for help, knowing that nobody could hear her. Maybe she wasn't screaming for help anymore. Maybe she was screaming because of the pain in her heart.

"What the hell?" Dustin exasperated and for a second, he was off of her. She was free of his hands. She assumed that he was referring to something that was wrong with her, something that wasn't good enough for him on the exposed parts of her body. Parts of her that nobody had seen before and that she hadn't planned on anyone seeing until she was married to someone she could trust to take care of her and never do what Dustin was trying to do. But now she questioned if such a boy even existed.

The princess kept her eyes squeezed shut as if she were watching a scary movie, fearing the moment when it would happen, when he would make himself a part of her forever. Even if she wasn't physically perfect, she was a girl and he was a boy without any control. She could only dream that he'd be disgusted by her, but that was too good to be true, she thought.

And then she felt hands on her skin again. She felt herself being lifted up over his shoulder and she continued to scream as if she were being murdered. But she may as well have been. Her trust, her spirit, it was as if they were being crushed in his hands. She felt him take a few steps and then she felt the air around her change, but she didn't dare open her eyes. She only screamed, unable to bear the pain in her heart. She fought and she struggled in his arms, knowing that it was pointless, but unwilling to give up just yet. How dare he? She was princess. Every girl was a princess. And no princess should ever be pinned down beneath a man with evil in his eyes. She remembered when she'd been young and ignorant and bad boys with motorcycles and cigarettes and leather jackets had been tempting, but now she wondered why she had ever found that attractive.

"Princess, Princess, it's okay. You're safe now." The princess heard a familiar voice, but she continued to scream and cry and fight as she was laid down on the ground. She felt the grass around her and a gentle spring-like breeze, wildflowers and the smell of the earth and the smell of the forest rather than the ocean and an old musty shack. "Princess, open your eyes, it's only me. It's okay. You're safe now." Kuru took her face in his hands and tried to calm her, pushing her hair out of her face and wiping her tears away.

The princess opened her eyes, red, blood shot and she gasped. She was with Kuru and Anala, in one of the elephant's favorite meadows. Everything was green with tall grass and wildflowers. Dust and pollen were lit aglow in the sunshine between the trees and could almost be fooled for magic. The birds sang and the butterflies danced like the most beautiful of fairies. The sky above her was open and blue, little with white puffy clouds like white cotton candy.

The princess was far away. She was safe now. But she could still feel a stabbing pain in her stomach. She could still hardly breathe. He hadn't taken her all the way, but she could still feel the shame and the embarrassment. Because she hadn't been able to protect herself. The princess of Manjipour had been at the mercy of a ruthless man. Could she trust anyone anymore? Was there anywhere safe enough for this pretty girl? All she wanted was to curl up in a fetal position, close her eyes, and wake up from this nightmare. And then she dropped to her knees, gripping her stomach and she screamed, for he was gone but she could still feel his hands all over her.


End file.
